Parachute Kids

February 6, 2023
Three siblings living undocumented in America must learn to adapt and fend for themselves when expired visas force their parents to return to Taiwan in Tang’s uplifting graphic novel debut. Ten-year-old Feng-Li Lin is ecstatic for her family vacation to America, but excitement becomes shock when her parents reveal that the kids will be staying in California under the care of family friends. The siblings enroll in new schools, struggle to learn English, and bristle at 1980s American culture and conventions surrounding fashion and food, all while contending with racist bullying. Feng-Li’s older sister Jia-xi, 16, manages the household while expediting her studies for upcoming SATs; 14-year-old brother Ke-gaˉng, who’s navigating private realizations about his sexuality, falls in with an unruly crowd; and Feng-Li just wants her siblings to stop bickering, and to fit in at school. Across crisp, boldly colored panels, the creator addresses heavy topics such as bullying, queer identity, and racism. Inspired by her own experience as a “parachute kid,” defined in an author’s note as children brought to live with friends or relatives in foreign countries, Tang balances humor and heart with the difficult realities of what parachute kids may face. Ages 9–12.

Starred review from April 1, 2023

Gr 4 Up-In 1981, Feng-Li, 10, travels to California from Taiwan with her family for what she thinks is a vacation, but her parents planned for the siblings to stay in "the land of opportunity." They adopt American names for school, and Feng-Li (now Ann) holds fast to her "tomorrow will be better" fortune cookie paper, despite her struggles with English. When both parents have to return to Taiwan, the undocumented siblings are on their own, with older sister Jia-Xi (Jessie) in charge, and middle son Ke-G ng (Jason) resentful. Feng-Li plays peacemaker between her two siblings, but the three face frightening obstacles before their family is reunited. Feng-Li wonders, "How has everything gone so wrong? Aren't we here for the American dream? So far it has been nothing but a nightmare." But when her sister falls into depression, the plucky girl swings into action, inspiring her siblings to pull together, and the ending is hopeful. There are sometimes six or seven panels on a page, but the action and the characters' emotions are easy to follow; red text in yellow speech balloons denote when they are speaking Chinese, black text in white balloons signifies English. A subplot indicates that Ke-G ng is gay, something his mother wants him to suppress, and his new friends reject him for. An author's note explains that she herself was a "parachute kid," and that the story is a mix of fiction, memory, and anecdotes. VERDICT At once common and unique, this is a compelling story of immigration and family bonds; highly recommended.-Jenny Arch

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 1, 2023
For many immigrant families, the American dream is a journey paved with countless obstacles; this struggle plays out in the lives of three Taiwanese siblings in Tang's graphic novel. The story begins in 1981 when the Lin family, undocumented immigrants from Taiwan, arrives in Los Angeles, allegedly for a vacation. But soon ten-year-old Feng-Li (who adopts the American name Ann) and her older brother Ke-Gng (Jason) and sister Jia-Xi (Jessie) find out that the move is permanent, and their father is not staying with them; a month later they learn they will need to fend for themselves -- their mother must return to China after her visa is not renewed. They work to adapt to American culture: Feng-Li strives to make friends in school; Ke-Gng searches for his identity while joining a clique of Chinese American teens that pressures him into smoking, skipping class, shoplifting, and worse; Jia-Xi studies for the SATs and looks for a job but falls prey to an insidious scam. Vibrant colors and expressively drawn faces capture the dynamic ups and downs in their lives. Intense dilemmas punctuated by humorous moments dramatize the challenges faced by each character. Tang weaves themes of family, racial stereotyping, cultural adaptation, sacrifice, peer pressure, sexuality, bullying, and survival into a poignant and triumphant story of perseverance and resilience, presenting a remarkably honest depiction of an Asian American immigrant experience. Jerry Dear

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from April 15, 2023
Grades 4-9 *Starred Review* The term parachute kids refers to immigrant children who come to the U.S. while their parents stay behind in their home country. Inspired by New York Times best-selling illustrator Tang's own childhood experience, her latest graphic novel is about three siblings trying to make it on their own in America after their parents return to Taiwan. In 1981, 10-year-old Feng-Li is at first excited when her family visits California for vacation. Her older brother and sister (Bro and Sis) are as shocked as she is when their parents tell them that America is their new home. Only Sis speaks English, and all three suffer the isolation of a new culture and language--all without their parents. Tang tackles the emotional and logistical complexities that undocumented children face from the unique perspectives of three siblings ranging in age from 10 to 16. Sis deals with the stress of being the responsible one and taking her parents' place; meanwhile, Feng-Li struggles to make friends along with Bro, who is finding that his queer identity clashes with his Asian culture. They find strength in each other and eventually discover the joys of their new home and its promise of a better future. Tang's artwork clearly conveys the emotions of each scene, and readers will find this story hard to put down.

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January 1, 2023
For many immigrant families, the American dream is a journey paved with countless obstacles; this struggle plays out in the lives of three Taiwanese siblings in Tang's graphic novel. The story begins in 1981 when the Lin family, undocumented immigrants from Taiwan, arrives in Los Angeles, allegedly for a vacation. But soon ten-year-old Feng-Li (who adopts the American name Ann) and her older brother Ke-Gng (Jason) and sister Jia-Xi (Jessie) find out that the move is permanent, and their father is not staying with them; a month later they learn they will need to fend for themselves -- their mother must return to China after her visa is not renewed. They work to adapt to American culture: Feng-Li strives to make friends in school; Ke-Gng searches for his identity while joining a clique of Chinese American teens that pressures him into smoking, skipping class, shoplifting, and worse; Jia-Xi studies for the SATs and looks for a job but falls prey to an insidious scam. Vibrant colors and expressively drawn faces capture the dynamic ups and downs in their lives. Intense dilemmas punctuated by humorous moments dramatize the challenges faced by each character. Tang weaves themes of family, racial stereotyping, cultural adaptation, sacrifice, peer pressure, sexuality, bullying, and survival into a poignant and triumphant story of perseverance and resilience, presenting a remarkably honest depiction of an Asian American immigrant experience.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)